


Pointed North

by meredyd



Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: College, Female Friendship, Gen, New York City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-13
Updated: 2012-03-13
Packaged: 2017-11-01 21:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/361531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meredyd/pseuds/meredyd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>”Just wake me up when we’re home, okay?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pointed North

Nina was sitting on the steps when Vanessa arrived with the letter. In the distance she was a tight ball of worry, hands knotted around her knees, watching the great brown castle of the high school empty as students spread homeward. 

Vanessa held up a hand before she could speak. “Kevin wasn’t there yet and Camila didn’t even see me take it out of the mail.” 

“You don’t even have to open it. You can just tell by the size.” 

“You can. But no matter what, Miss Valedictorian, we’re celebrating afterwards. You have to promise.”

“I promise. Give it to me!” Nina said, holding her hands out with her eyes closed tight. 

Vanessa handed her the big envelope with one hand and threw her arm around Nina’s shoulders with the other when she started, suddenly, to cry.

—

Many drinks later, sweaty from dancing, they sat on the train inside a two-person silence amidst evening crowds. Tonight, the heavy rattling cars sounded like they were celebrating too, Vanessa thought. Nina’s curls were a soft tangle around her flushed face that wore a triumphant, tired happiness. 

Vanessa wondered, in the cold way she did always did when a certain number of stops had passed, what would be waiting for her when she arrived. The water had gone out, she remembered distantly. Broken plates, the night before, leaving for work before the sun came up as shouting followed her out the door. 

“Hey,” Nina murmured, shifting. “Stay over.”

“You sure?”

Outside the window blurry night passed by, filled with familiar lights. Nina laughed a little against her chest, drifting off inch by inch. “Just wake me up when we’re home, okay?”

Vanessa laced their fingers together and squeezed. “Yeah,” she said. “Of course.”


End file.
